Dog Island (New Zealand) facts for kids
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Māori: Motu Piu
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View of a beach and the lighthouse of Dog Island
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 Dog Island
Location in New Zealand
Location of Dog Island
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| Geography | |
| Location | Foveaux Strait |
| Coordinates | 46°39′00″S 168°24′30″E / 46.65000°S 168.40833°E |
| Total islands | 1 |
| Area | 0.11 km2 (0.042 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 15 m (49 ft) |
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New Zealand
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| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
Dog Island is a small island in New Zealand. Its Māori name is Motu Piu. It is located in Foveaux Strait, about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Bluff, New Zealand. This island is home to New Zealand's tallest lighthouse. Since the lighthouse became fully automatic in 1989, no one has lived on Dog Island.
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What's in a Name?
The name Dog Island probably comes from its shape. People thought the island looked like a dog. There's even a reef nearby called the "Dog's Tongue"!
The Māori name, Motu Piu, has a special meaning. Motu means island, and piu means to swing. This name comes from an old Māori legend. The legend says a large greenstone (pounamu) turned into this island.
Island Geography
Dog Island is a low, rocky island. Its highest natural point is about 15 meters (49 feet) above sea level. The island is quite small, covering about 0.11 square kilometers (28 acres).
Dog Island Lighthouse: A Tall Landmark
The Dog Island Lighthouse is very important to New Zealand's history. It was the first lighthouse built in the Southland area. The Invercargill Harbour Master suggested this location.
Designing the Lighthouse
The lighthouse was designed by James Balfour. He was a marine engineer for the government at the time. The island is very low, so the lighthouse had to be extra tall to be seen from far away. It stands 36 meters (118 feet) high!
Life at the Lighthouse
The lighthouse on Dog Island first started working in August 1865. In the beginning, three lighthouse keepers and their families lived on the island. They had to wind up the light mechanism every hour to keep it turning.
Later, only one keeper and his family lived there. Life on the island was remote. Children could not go to school on the mainland. Supplies arrived by ship only every three months. To make things easier, a landing strip was built. This allowed planes to bring supplies every two weeks.
Automation and Today
In 1989, the lighthouse became automatic. This meant it no longer needed people to operate it. Since then, no one has lived on Dog Island.
The Dog Island Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in New Zealand. It is also one of the country's oldest. Its black and white stripes make it easy to recognize. It is considered a very important historical building.
Even with the lighthouse, accidents could happen. For example, the steamer SS Waikouaiti crashed into the island in thick fog in 1939.
Dog Island Today
You cannot visit Dog Island, but you can see it from Bluff on a clear day. A group called the Dog Island Motu Piu Charitable Trust works to protect the island's history. They also want to teach people about it.
The island is free of animals that could harm native wildlife. Because of this, the trust plans to bring back special New Zealand animals. These include tuatara, kiwi, and Sooty shearwater birds. Sometimes, large sea animals like southern right whales can be seen around the island during their migration.
